


What is Tinsel?

by agoldengalaxy



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:40:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21826846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agoldengalaxy/pseuds/agoldengalaxy
Summary: Connor wants to decorate for Christmas.Hank would rather sleep.
Relationships: Hank Anderson & Connor
Comments: 13
Kudos: 67





	What is Tinsel?

**Author's Note:**

> because we had enough angst in the game, so here’s huge fluff!  
> kudos/comments are always appreciated!

Hank wakes up to a loud crash and a quiet, muffled shout of surprise.

The man groans, pulling one of his extra pillows over his head. He’s not sure how long he’s been asleep, but he doesn’t feel good. The human body was something he’d never understand. If he slept all day, he felt terrible. If he barely slept, he still felt terrible.

He just can’t win.

Sumo’s barking now, so he really should get up and make sure Connor hasn’t destroyed the living room.

With another groan, he pulls himself up to rest on one elbow, squinting. He can tell even without looking at his watch that it’s getting dark, and he hazily remembers what happened earlier.

Connor, after learning about Christmas, begged Hank to go and get a tree to set up in the living room. After all, it was a happy holiday, so ‘they should be festive.’

Hank had been hesitant. He hadn’t celebrated Christmas in years; it had always been such a difficult holiday to get through. But he couldn’t say no to Connor.

So they hoisted a large tree onto his car and set it up in the corner. Hank had been so wiped he’d gone to his room to take a nap.

He sits up now, rubbing his eyes. He wonders how long he’s been asleep, but either way, he’s still tired. 

Rising to his feet, he yawns and slowly walks out to the living room. “You alright, Conn - oh.”

Now he knows why there was so much racket.

The android is sitting on the carpet beside the tree. Somehow, he’d managed to tangle himself up in Christmas lights - and Hank doesn’t remember getting those, but he supposes that’s not the most pressing thing about the situation. Sumo is sitting beside him obediently, panting.

“Good evening, Lieutenant,” Connor greets cheerfully, even as he struggles lightly against the lights, trying to throw them off of him. Clearly, he could easily free himself, but he doesn’t want to break them. “How was your nap? Did you sleep well?”

“What the fuck happened?” Hank asks instead of answering, not immediately moving to help him. He needs an explanation first, and besides; it’s a  _ little _ funny.

Connor sighs, falling still, though he keeps his gaze trained innocently up at Hank. “Well, after you fell asleep, I went to the store to grab some decorations. After all, we can’t have a tree with no decorations.” Sumo, as if to rub it in, stands up to lick the android’s cheek, then walks over to Hank for pets. Sure enough, there were at least three paper bags lined up beside the tree, filled to the brim with festive decorations.

“The lights were longer than I thought, and I had forgotten about the extra step over there,” he continues, nodding towards the one near the kitchen. “I tripped, fell, and got tangled.”

Hank snorts, unable to contain it. “Cyberlife’s greatest android gets himself tangled up in a buncha Christmas lights,” he teases with a smirk, finally going over to help. He kneels down, trying to be gentle as he works with the lights.

Connor smiles, and the older man is grateful he seems to have a humor about himself now. This was the person Connor was meant to be, not the emotionless machine he was when they first met.

No, Hank likes too-emotional, clumsy, happy Connor the best. Even if he can be rather loud and cause scenes sometimes.

“There you go. You’re all set,” he says, tossing the lights to the side and out of the way. He chuckles a little, offering his hand to help the boy up, which he takes gratefully.

“Thanks,” he replies, his normal, cheerful tone ever present. He glances at the bags, then back at the other man, smiling. “Now that you’re awake, you can help me decorate.”

The older man sighs in response, shaking his head. He doesn’t particularly feel like running around the house now - and besides, he never decorates. Barely decorated even when Cole was alive (normally just a tree, and that was that). “I think I’ll pass. But you can knock yourself out,” he adds, waving a hand dismissively as he starts walking towards the kitchen, Sumo at his heels.

“Hank, wait,” he calls, and the lieutenant stops in his tracks, looking up at the ceiling with a sigh before turning around.

“I do not know where some of these decorations go,” he confesses, raising an eyebrow as he picks up some tinsel. “If you don’t help, I’m sure I will make a mess of the living room. Besides,” he adds, “Christmas decorating is a part of the holiday spirit. We should be spending time together.”

God, his voice is so innocent and genuine it makes Hank want to puke. He groans, because yet again, he can’t say no. Not for the first time, he’s reminded of Cole. “Fine,” he grumbles after a long moment passes, “but let’s make it quick.”

Connor smiles. “Excellent. Let’s get started.” And with that, he’s digging through his bags already.

Hank begrudgingly goes to stand beside him, while Sumo jumps up onto the couch to lie down. It seems as though Connor got the most of the Christmas section in the nearest store. Tinsel, ornaments, stockings, even wrapping paper and a star to put on top of the tree. “You really went all out, huh?”

The android, currently unraveling the tinsel, pauses and looks up at him, still grinning a little. “Well, yes. It’s my first Christmas.”

Dammit. Hank has way too big of a soft spot for this kid.

Luckily, he thinks, he’s good at hiding it. He just scoffs and picks up the still tangled lights. “These need to go on first,” he explains, then nods at him, “then the tinsel.”

“Tinsel,” Connor repeats, looking at the silver in his hands with newfound curiosity. “It’s shiny. Is that the appeal?”

“Yeah,” he confirms gruffly, stepping forward to start wrapping the lights around the tree. “Supposed to look like ice.” He’s aware of the android watching him with interest, and he doesn’t bother to hide a slight grin. “See what I just did?” he asks, stepping back when he’s done. He folds his arms over his chest comfortably, ready to see the attempt. “Do the same with that.”

Connor stares at the tinsel in his hands for a moment, then looks up, determined. Carefully, he walks around the tree, throwing the glittering thread around it loosely.

Hank watches, amused. The android is still so stiff, so precise - the opposite of what’s needed to throw tinsel around a tree - but he does it just fine. It’s nice to see so much focus on something that isn’t so serious, for once.

“There,” Connor announces, taking a step back to look at their handiwork.

“Not bad, son,” he says with a grin, slapping a hand down on the other’s shoulder. “What’s next?”

Maybe decorating won’t be so tedious, after all.

Connor picks up one of the other bags, opening it to present to him proudly. “I picked up some ornaments.”

Hank peers inside the bag, greeted with some sparkly gold ball ornaments and a couple miscellaneous ones, such as some icicles, a little policeman, and a few dogs. 

He shakes his head in disbelief, chuckling to himself. “Shit,” he breathes, reaching inside to take out one of the dogs, inspecting it. The dog is sitting with a little grin, wearing a Santa hat, tongue hanging out. “You have good taste, Connor,” he says with another snort, placing it back in the bag.

Connor practically radiates with pride, beaming ear to ear. “Thank you, Lieutenant.”

“C’mon. The red ones go up first, then everything else. Star goes up last.”

Connor nods, and the two of them get to work, hanging all of the ornaments. They laugh, and joke, and tease with each other.

It feels like a real Christmas again. Hank hadn’t thought it was possible to feel joy on the holidays anymore. And yet, here he is. The time passes quickly.

“Oh, the star,” Connor says after they step back, like he almost forgot. “I can do it.” He picks up the gold star and moves the couch over, stepping up onto the arm to reach the top.

Hank watches, ready to catch him if he loses his balance, but his mind is more occupied. Sometimes, he wonders how this is the same Connor that would fervently claim he was a machine and nothing but.

He’s so grateful he became who he was meant to be.

“There we go!” Hank’s pulled from his thoughts as Connor hops down, pushing the couch back into position. He’s smiling, obviously proud of their work. 

Hank smirks, pausing for a moment. “Hold on. It’s not done yet.” Feeling his confused look, he walks to the wall, turning off the lights, and plugs in the tree.

The room is filled with multi-colored lights, illuminating Connor’s face. His expression is priceless - Hank knows he’ll remember it forever.

Deep brown eyes are wide with wonder, his jaw slightly open as he looks at their tree. “Wow,” he breathes after a moment, while Hank goes to stand beside him. “It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah,” he agrees, putting an arm around the android who had come to be like a son to him, “it is.”

Connor blinks, smile widening as he looks at Hank, just for a moment, every muscle in his body relaxing. 

Hank smiles too. Perhaps one day he’ll tell Connor how much this means to him; how hard the holidays have always been, but for now, he’s happy to enjoy this moment with him.

For Connor’s first Christmas of many.


End file.
